This invention relates generally to photographic film identification systems, and more particularly to such systems which use an identifying code to correlate each film strip with an associated envelope or container.
In the film processing trade, the film rolls or cassettes are normally supplied to the processing dealer in containers, eg. envelopes, on which the information identifying the owner of the film is written. In the past, a control number is placed on the envelope or container and the same number is subsequently placed directly on the film when it is first processed in a darkroom. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,084,592 discloses an apparatus whereby a number is perforated into the flap of the film envelope and the perforated flap is placed on the glass portion of a printer so that the film processed in the printer will have this number photographed thereon. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,817,728 deals with a film numbering device in which the control number is photographed on the film from a number previously stamped on film envelopes; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,987 discloses a system whereby a stencil is used to photograph the number on the film.
The prior art approaches to film identification have usually required a considerable amount of manual activity with its inherent drawbacks in processing speed, economy and accuracy.